Any Manc that reveals themselves to be a sports fan is invariably asked the same question: Are you a Red or a Blue?
United and City’s respective success on football’s world stage means Manchester is often divided neatly down the middle. One side are Devils. The other are Cityzens.
But football support here isn’t binary. It’s a spectrum.
In between the famous hell red and sky blue, there’s a kaleidoscope of club colours. Starting with Hulme Athenaeum in the 1860s, Greater Manchester has been a blossoming garden for the beautiful game.
In recent history, there’s been a team for almost every borough above the sixth tier (Tameside being the only exception until recently).
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But the rainbow of club colours in Greater Manchester is rapidly being bleached.
The white and navy blue of Bury was washed out of the football league in 2019. The blood red of Droylsden was removed from the Northern Premier earlier this year.
Despite its somewhat diminutive stature, Wigan Athletic is a special little club; having repeatedly come out on top when the odds are stacked against them.
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After climbing up from regional levels and making their way into the football league in the 1970s, The Latics enjoyed a meteoric rise under the regime of chairman Dave Whelan in the noughties; moving from the old Division Two to the Premier League in the space of three years.
It was wonderful to watch – temporarily diverting eyes away from the two big clubs in the region to gawp at the blue and white stripes making big waves in northern football.
Everyone expected Wigan to swiftly exit the door as soon as they entered – a la Grandpa Simpson – but they made themselves part of the Premier League furniture; remaining in football’s top tier for eight seasons.
During that final Prem campaign in 2013, they also battled their way to the cup final – facing billionaire-backed Manchester City in what was, on paper, a guaranteed drubbing.
We all know how that one ended. Again, Wigan stunned the football world – and it’s a memory that’s gone down as one the great all-time shocks of Mancunian football.
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Two changes in ownership, however, have left the club unbalanced.
Despite passing the football league’s ‘test and takeover’ criteria, Wigan were left in the financial red zone by the most recent acquisition in 2020 – headed by Wai Kay Au Yeung, the frontman of Next Leader Fund (NLF).
Suddenly, the cards were stacked against The Latics once again. The football league deducted 12 points from their tally as Wigan went into administration, landing the club in the biggest battle of their existence.
Just days after that deduction, Wigan won 8-0. Their biggest league victory on record. They were still fighting.
They even resisted their deduction with a quarrel, but when the FL dismissed their claims (unfairly, some argue), it was confirmed the club would play football in the third tier for 2020/21.
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At least, in theory. Wigan will only compete next year if a buyer can be found. And there’s just a matter of days left to raise the necessary funds.
According to administrators Begbies Traynor, if no agreement is reached by 31 August, considerations would have to be made as to whether the club can begin the new campaign.
Wigan need £500,000 by Monday. It’s a steep hill. But the good news is, they’re already more than a third of the way there.
All the local leaders – including MP Lisa Nandy, Wigan Council and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham are behind the cause. It’s over to us now.
A petition has been launched to raise the necessary money to keep Wigan alive.
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Wigan Athletic Supporters’ Club stated: “We need to be READY to act in order to secure the future of Wigan Athletic. Not just a football club, but an integral part of our community that helps to improve thousands of lives across Wigan.
“We need to raise £500,000 by Monday 31st August from supporters and community pledges. Each pledge will make a difference and YOU will be rewarded with a place in our future for your pledge.
“This funding will be used to support the future of the football club with community-ownership and supporter representation and influence at the highest level.”
Wigan have given the game in Greater Manchester so much in terms of shock, glory, and enjoyment over the years. It’s time for us to do our bit and give back.
Football up here won’t be the same without Wigan Athletic.
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WWE brings out Manc UFC champion Tom Aspinall and his belt at Co-op Live
Danny Jones
WWE Live landed at Manchester’s Co-op Live arena for the first time on Wednesday night and they had a surprise guest waiting in the wings with them too: none other than local UFC star Tom Aspinall.
It was only back in July that the Manc mixed martial artist was last at Co-op Live for UFC 304, the first sporting event held at the state-of-the-art entertainment venue, where he put in one of the most ruthless displays of the year.
Aspinall not only retained his interim heavyweight title in the highly-anticipated rematch against Curtis Blaydes but he finished off with American inside less than a minute, stunning spectators inside the arena who had stayed up waiting until 4am to watch him.
With that in mind, the global wrestling franchise decided to give the Co-op crowd another chance to see the man himself for a little bit longer.
As you can see, as a fellow fighter and champion at the top of his game, it only felt fitting that Aspinall be welcomed to the ring by the WWE‘s Cody Rhodes and the reaction was as you would expect.
Getting a much different entrance than his usual cage walk, the 31-year-old from Atherton with Salfordian roots and trained at the likes of Leigh Self Defence Studio got the home fans going and even helped do a bit of promo work in the ring with Rhodes and Austrian wrestler Gunther.
Helping set up for the impending Crown Jewel event – the inaugural new standalone face-off between their in-house Raw and SmackDown brands set to take place in Saudia Arabia – Aspinall did his best to whip up the audience.
To be honest, no disrespect to the very high-profile wrestlers who landed in 0161 this week, but we think plenty of those in the stands were more buzzing to Aspinall than anyone.
Just listen to that reaction:
Wow, Tom Aspinall showing up at a WWE show is awesome!
While we didn’t get to see the ‘Honey Badger’ get involved in any scraps on the night and his cameo didn’t go on for too long, it’s undeniably cool to see a local athlete once again basking in a much-deserved bit of the spotlight.
Moreover, the WWE is one of the biggest entertainment industries on the planet, so being given that platform is not only huge for him but for Manchester and the UFC‘s UK audience as a whole.
While Tom has been enjoying a well-earned break following his most recent victory, he did recently confirm that he is “ready to go” as a backup fighter for the upcoming Jon Jones vs Stipe Miocic main event on the UFC 309 fight card.
If he were to be roped into the octagon for this one, it would finally see him come against legend Jones and give him a shot at earning the title of undisputed heavyweight champion. Now wouldn’t that be something special for the British fight scene?
You can actually sleep at Old Trafford for an important charitable cause
Danny Jones
It is time for the return of Manchester United’s much-loved Stadium Sleep Out, where fans can actually sleep over at Old Trafford to help raise money for charity.
Back for just the third time in the club’s history, the Red Devils are once again inviting fans of Man United to not just visit the Theatre of Dreams outside of a usual matchday but to sleep for one special night in the stands of Old Trafford itself.
The now annual fundraising event which looks to combat homelessness in Greater Manchester and among young people, specifically, raised over a whopping £40,000 for this vital cause last November and is looking to amass even more this time around.
Given that this figure was double the amount managed in the inaugural year, we think the next edition is going to smash that target too.
— Manchester United Foundation (@MU_Foundation) October 16, 2024
The concept is pretty much what it says on the tin: hordes of Reds pile into Old Trafford with their warm layers, sleeping bags, flasks and more to sleep out at one of the most iconic stadiums in the world.
Over 100 Reds took part in the 2023 Sleep Out and while the concept has been seen before at various different sporting organisations in recent times, there aren’t many clubs bigger than United, so they’re looking to welcome even more numbers to sleepover in the stands.
The event was set up to help raise money not only for the Manchester United Foundation but for UK charity Centrepoint too. With a base here in Greater Manchester, the homelessness charity has been helping support vulnerable young people all over the region and beyond since 1969.
Between 2022 and 2023, Centrepoint found that 136,000 young people across the UK approached their council for help because they were homeless or at risk of homelessness, highlighting the desperate plight of many in our area and the need for events, and support, like this.
As the colder temperatures creep in, it’s more vital than ever that those less fortunate get help wherever they can and the November date also allows locals to experience a taste of what it’s like for those sleeping rough and remind them of why initiatives like this are so important.
Taking place on Friday, 15 November, the 2024 Old Trafford Stadium Sleep Out is set to welcome more participants than ever and it goes without saying that the atmosphere is pretty special.
A strictly 18+ event only, you can get ready to swap your bed for a sleeping bed and instead of staring at the ceiling, you can look up at the stars while laying down under the lights of Manchester United’s legendary home ground from just £30. All fund goes directly to the cause.
You can register your interest HERE and, who knows, maybe you’ll be joined by Fred the Red and a few other familiar faces this year.